On Aug. 1, the Rotary Club of Naga City signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the LGU of Pamplona and the Pag-Asa Youth Association of the Philippines (PYAP) to provide funding in support of the PYAP’s Bio-Sand Water Filter business.

        According to the agreement, the Rotary Club of Naga will provide funding for 50 filters (50,000 pesos), with the PYAP building and installing the filters. The LGU of Pamplona will provide transportation for the filters. Each filter has an output of about 220 liters of clean water a day and will serve four to five impoverished families in Pamplona. Barangay officials and health workers will be tapped to help identify the recipient families. The BSF livelihood project was brought to Pamplona by U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers Tom and Cara Moutsos. Cara organized the Out-of-School Youth (OSY) of Pamplona into the PYAP, a DSWD program, while Tom started the business and trained the Youth workers.

        So far, the project has been a success. Twenty four filters have been sold and installed, providing over 300 people with clean water. The business provides income for four full-time and one part-time Youth workers, while also earning money for the PYAP Federation of Pamplona. To date, the PYAP Federation has earned 4,200 pesos from the BSF, which will be available to PYAP members for other livelihood and training opportunities. To be eligible for this money, the Youth must write a project proposal and log 48 hours of community service.

        The Rotary Club deal targets those impoverished families who cannot afford to pay 1,300 pesos for a filter, and are at the highest risk for water-borne diseases. The plan is to eventually fund 85 filters, five for each of the 17 Barangays in Pamplona. An estimated 2,500 people will benefit from these 85 filters.

        There are currently three BSF projects in Bicol. One is run by the LGU of Sorsogon City and one is a UNICEF funded project in Legazpi City. The third, and only youth-run project, is found in Pamplona. Peace Corps Volunteers are currently working on starting another youth-run BSF project in the Municipality of Tigaon.

        The U.S. Peace Corps is a community development organization that sends volunteers to impoverished countries all over the world, with volunteers typically serving for 2 years. The main goals of the organization are technological and cultural exchange. Peace Corps Volunteers have been serving in the Philippines for 45 years.